There are so many good reasons to jump on a bike. Among the most obvious, biking has the ability to reduce emissions while having a positive impact on your health and well-being. This month with the launch of the United for Bikes campaign, PeopleForBikes and World Bicycle Relief have teamed up to give people another reason to get behind the bicycle movement.

On the home front, PeopleForBikes has been championing the bike movement by building bike lanes, bridges, and underpasses in hopes of making inner-city biking safer. “We all know that when people ride bikes, great things happen,” PeopleForBikes President Tim Blumentahl said in a news release. “Bicycling is good for our bodies, our families, our businesses, and our local and global communities.” With the help of the World Bicycle Relief, United for Bikes is PeopleForBike’s first move toward reaching people on a global scale.

“We want to bring all the benefits biking has to the forefront,” said Brooke Slezack, World Bicycle Relief spokesperson. The main focus for the organization, however, is changing and enriching lives in developing nations, which is why United for Bikes will also be a fundraising effort.

Run by African nationals, World Bicycle Relief has provided more than 175,000 bikes to 13 African countries since its inception in 2005. Named after the African buffalo, which symbolizes strength, the signature Buffalo Bike is designed to be a workhorse; built to withstand the rough terrain of unpaved roads. The design, which features just one speed, has already undergone several upgrades, but there is still room for improvement. Recently, teams have been working to create a gear bike that can handle the rocky, pothole-filled roads without losing its chain.

Though the donations come from all over, the bike itself is built in the country by local workers. In an effort to create jobs, the foundation trains one mechanic specifically for the Buffalo Bike for every 50 they supply to the community. World Bicycle Relief has also built assembly plants in five countries that hire locally and have helped to build local sustainable economies.

“What they are doing is innovative and exciting,” Slezack said. “In a recession where most non-profits are suffering, they [World Bicycle Relief] are growing tremendously because their solution is working. By giving these people a tool, they are empowered and they are able to unleash the potential that is already present.”

Having worked with the company for more than a year, Slezack recently narrowed her focus to public relations for World Bicycle Relief after seeing the real difference the organization was making.

“I recently took a trip to Zambia to learn more about what we are doing,” she explained. “I met a man who was a chicken farmer. He used to take his chickens to the market, which wasn’t close, by broken wheelbarrow. Once he got a Buffalo Bike, he was able to double his business. Not only that, but I met two boys who lived with him who I thought were his sons. But it turned out they were orphans who he was helping to raise. It just shows you how something so small can make such a huge impact.”

United for Bikes hopes to create supporters for both organizations by leveraging the work they are doing in the United States and abroad to get people active in the biking community. The two organizations are seeking to raise more than $200,000 as well as gain 1 million supporters.

“We hope that people who are interested in biking will get involved, and those who aren’t will see the power of a bike, and want to become a part of the movement,” Slezack said. “It really is amazing how a bike can change things for people around the world.

To learn more about United For Bikes and how you can get involved, visit the website.

Images courtesy of Brooke Slezak